Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Kurdistan Region security forces dismantled cells affiliated with ISIS and arrested 22 suspects during a series of security operations across several areas of the Region, the Kurdistan Asayish Security Agency said Monday.

In a statement, the agency said its General Directorate of Asayish Operations carried out several operations over 96 hours based on intelligence and investigations conducted between September 8 and 12, 2026.

The 22 suspects were arrested in Al-Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, Penjwin, Khormal and Sirwan. The agency identified them as members of the “Fifth Battalion” of what it called the “Kurdistan Province” of ISIS.

The cell members had been planning to reorganize their ranks and secure pledges of allegiance from other members, the statement said. Their plans also included planting improvised explosive devices, carrying out bombings in Halabja Province, monitoring security forces and attacking them during training exercises with medium and heavy weapons.

According to the statement, the plans also included establishing an “emirate” in the Hawraman or Sharazur areas, linking dormant ISIS cells across the Kurdistan Region and Iraq with members of the group outside the country, and raising funds to purchase weapons.

Security forces seized one RPG launcher with three rockets and five propellant charges, a mortar shell, six hand grenades, six AK-47 rifles with 13 magazines and 300 rounds of ammunition, and two pistols with 100 rounds, the statement, adding that the seized items also included a surveillance camera, military binoculars, and military clothing and equipment.

Shafaq News- Sanaa/ Riyadh

Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) said on Monday they carried out three military operations targeting sites and facilities in Saudi Arabia, as the Saudi-led coalition announced fresh strikes in western Yemen and government forces reported retaking the Red Sea port city of Mokha.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, Abha International Airport, a military base in Khamis Mushait, Akifa camp and other sites in Najran and Jazan using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.

Saree said the operations were carried out in response to Saudi attacks on Yemen, claiming that dozens of air and missile strikes had been launched over the previous 24 hours.

بيانٌ صادرٌ عن القواتِ المسلحةِ اليمنيةِ بسمِ اللهِ الرحمنِ الرحيمِ قالَ تعالى: {فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ} صدقَ اللهُ العظيم في إطارِ الردِّ على العدوانِ السعوديِّ على بلدِنا والذي شنَّ خلالَ الـ24 ساعةً الماضيةَ 60 غارةً جويةً وصاروخًا مستهدفًا بها العاصمةَ صنعاءَ ومحافظاتِ الجوفَ وتعزَ وحجةَ وصعدةَ ومأربَ، وخلَّفت شهداءَ وجرحى من المدنيينَ بينهم نساءٌ وأطفالٌ. ليبلغَ إجمالي غاراتِ العدوِّ السعوديِّ على بلدِنا منذُ بدءِ التصعيدِ 1576 غارةً جويةً وصاروخًا. نفذتِ القواتُ المسلحةُ اليمنيةُ ثلاثَ عملياتٍ عسكريةٍ نوعيةٍ وذلك بعددٍ كبيرٍ من الصواريخِ الباليستيةِ والمجنحةِ والطائراتِ المسيرةِ الأولى استهدفت مطارَ الملكِ خالدٍ في الرياضِ وكانتِ الإصابةُ دقيقةً ومباشرةً بفضلِ اللهِ وأدت إلى تعطلِ حركةِ الملاحةِ فيهِ. والثانيةُ استهدفتْ مصفاةَ أرامكو في رابغَ، وكانتِ الإصابةُ دقيقةً ومباشرةً وأدتِ العمليةُ إلى اشتعالِ النيرانِ في الموقعِ المستهدفِ. فيما استهدفتِ العمليةُ الثالثةُ مطارَ أبها وقاعدةَ خميسِ مشيط ومعسكرَ عاكفة في عسير ومواقعَ حساسةً أخرى في نجرانَ وجيزانَ وكانتِ الإصاباتُ دقيقةً بفضلِ اللهِ. تحذرُ القواتُ المسلحةُ كلَّ شركاتِ الطيرانِ العالميةِ التي تستخدمُ الأجواءَ السعوديةِ من مواصلةِ استمرارِ رحلاتِها الجويةِ لأنها أصبحتْ مسرحاً لعملياتِنا باستثناءِ الأجواءِ المقدسةِ لمكةَ المكرمةِ والمدينةِ المنورةِ ونخلي مسؤوليتَنا من تبعاتِ تجاهلِ هذا التحذيرِ. تؤكد القواتُ المسلحةُ لكافةَ أبناءِ شعبِنا المؤمنِ العزيزِ الكريمِ الصامدِ المجاهدِ أنها تمتلكُ من القدراتِ والإمكاناتِ ما يجعلُها بعونِ اللهِ تعالى وبالتوكلِ عليهِ قادرةً على مواجهةِ هذا التصعيدِ العدوانيِّ.. وأنها أعدتِ العدةَ لمثلِ هذا اليومِ .. فالقولُ لميدانِ المعركةِ والكلمةُ لساحاتِ البطولةِ والجهادِ. واللهُ حسبُنا ونعمَ الوكيلُ، نعمَ المولى ونعمَ النصيرُ. عاشَ اليمنُ حراً عزيزاً مستقلاً والنصرُ لليمنِ ولكلِّ أحرارِ الأمةِ صنعاءُ، 24 ربيع الثاني 1448هـ الموافقُ 5 أكتوبر 2026م. صادرٌ عنِ القواتِ المسلحةِ اليمنيةِ

— العميد/ يحيى سريع (@Yah_Saree) October 5, 2026

The Houthis also warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace, excluding the airspace over Mecca and Medina, and threatened consequences for ignoring the warning.

Separately, the Saudi-led coalition said its naval forces carried out an operation in Yemen’s western Hodeidah province against “legitimate military targets” belonging to the Houthis.

The coalition said the operation disrupted planned attacks on shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea and destroyed weapons depots, facilities storing explosive-laden boats and sea mines.

The developments came as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan agreed earlier on Monday to begin implementing their collective-defense commitments under the Mecca Defense Alliance, including measures to provide agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government said they had retaken Mokha, a strategic Red Sea port in western Taiz province, after fighting with the Houthis.

The Houthis had seized Mokha in September during an offensive along Yemen’s western coast.

Government forces are also pressing a wider offensive, dubbed Operation Yemen Dawn, aimed at retaking Houthi-held territory. The Saudi-led coalition said earlier on Monday that 100 fighter jets were supporting the campaign and that 324 Houthi targets had been destroyed since the operation began.

Shafaq News

France came from behind to beat Belgium 4-1 on Monday while Italy defeated Turkiye 3-1, strengthening both teams’ positions in UEFA Nations League Group A1.

Dodi Lukébakio gave Belgium the lead in the 35th minute in Paris before France struck four times late in the second half. Désiré Doué equalized in the 77th minute, Rayan Cherki put France ahead four minutes later, and substitute Michael Olise scored twice to complete the comeback. The result moved France to 10 points at the top of Group A1, while Italy climbed to second on seven points, one ahead of Belgium.

In Bologna, Gianluca Scamacca opened the scoring for Italy in the 26th minute before Aral Şimşir equalized for Turkiye after the break. Riccardo Calafiori restored Italy’s lead and Pio Esposito added a third in the 87th minute.

In League B Group 2, Northern Ireland remained top after a 0-0 draw with Georgia, while Hungary beat Ukraine 1-0 through Milán Tóth. Northern Ireland has eight points, with Hungary second on seven.

In Group B4, Viktor Gyökeres scored as Sweden beat Romania 1-0, moving to 10 points. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland drew 0-0 in Zenica.

Elsewhere, Cyprus beat Latvia 2-1 in League C Group 2, while Montenegro and Armenia finished 0-0.

Shafaq News- Hormuz

A tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging its engine room as maritime attacks in the strategic waterway continue to increase, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The vessel was later identified by maritime security sources as the Liberia-flagged LIPSI, managed by Greece-based Dynacom Tankers Management.

UKMTO said the tanker’s master reported that the projectile caused damage and a fire in the engine room. The crew remained safe, and no environmental impact was reported.

Responsibility has not been established, and UKMTO did not identify the type or origin of the projectile.

UKMTO WARNING 156-26 Click here to view the full product⤵️ https://t.co/451MdQN4dS #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec https://t.co/UmNf4vwhLS

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 5, 2026

In a separate incident on Monday, UKMTO said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) hailed another tanker entering the Strait about 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, and ordered it to turn back or risk being targeted.

The tanker complied with the instruction. No attack or casualties were reported in that incident.

Maritime security risks around Hormuz have risen sharply, with at least seven tanker attacks reported during the first week of October, including strikes on the LIPSI and KAZIMAH III. No crew deaths were reported in those attacks.

Despite the security deterioration, oil shipments through the region have partially recovered. Data cited by Reuters showed Middle Eastern crude exports exceeded pre-war levels on several days in late September.

Shafaq News- Saladin

Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity (CoI) arrested the head of the Saladin Investment Commission, Amin Aziz Jawad, on Monday over alleged financial corruption, a security source told Shafaq News.

The source said a force from the Integrity Commission, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, carried out the arrest under a judicial warrant.

No further details were immediately available on the allegations against Jawad.

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown moves from raids to rulings

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Three Iraqi armed factions have handed over their weapons and two others have agreed to surrender theirs, Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi said on Monday.

During a meeting with tribal sheikhs and dignitaries, Al-Zaidi praised Iraqi tribes for supporting the state and helping maintain order during difficult periods, warning against attempts to weaken the state or threaten its existence.

Al-Zaidi also referred to talks with Turkiye and Kuwait, noting that Turkish forces were withdrawing from positions inside Iraq and that discussions with Kuwait continued over outstanding bilateral issues.

The prime minister has set June 30, 2027, as the deadline for bringing weapons held outside state institutions under government control. The Coordination Framework (CF), an alliance of major Shiite political forces, has backed the timetable, while talks with armed factions continue over the handover, registration and storage of weapons under state supervision.

Read more: Iraq's second US troop withdrawal shifts the test to armed factions

Shafaq News- Riyadh

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan on Monday agreed to move immediately toward implementing their collective-defense commitments under the Mecca Defense Alliance, including measures to provide agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

The decision came at an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh amid escalating attacks on the Kingdom and fighting in Yemen.

In a joint statement published by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the committee said it had decided to “move immediately to the practical implementation” of its collective-defense commitments and take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

The deployments will be carried out under approved arrangements and in accordance with the national laws of the three countries. The statement did not specify the number or type of forces and capabilities involved or when the deployments would begin.

The three countries said the security of each member was an integral part of their collective security and that implementing the Mecca agreement would strengthen deterrence and their ability to confront threats.

They also condemned attempts to target Mecca and Medina, as well as continued attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities. Turkiye and Pakistan praised the readiness and performance of Saudi forces in responding to the threats.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the meeting also discussed diplomatic efforts related to the situation in Yemen. “We discussed in detail what kind of support could be provided for Saudi Arabia’s defense and, on the other hand, what could be done to resolve the issue peacefully and through dialogue,” Fidan told reporters after the meeting.

He said Saudi Arabia had taken a “very constructive approach” toward resolving the issue and that the participants had exchanged views on possible steps.

The committee also appointed retired Pakistani Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary-general for a three-year term.

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Aug. 7, establishing a collective-defense framework under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all three.

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

One person was killed and four others wounded Monday when an attack targeted a Federal Police position in the Al-Bargiliya–Al-Danadish area of Hawija district, southwest of Kirkuk, a security source told Shafaq News.

The attack targeted the 3rd Battalion sector of the 9th Brigade of the Federal Police, the source said, adding that several thermal cameras at the site were also destroyed.

Security forces cordoned off the area following the attack and launched an investigation to determine those responsible, while search and inspection operations continued in the surrounding area.

Shafaq News- Duhok

Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said Monday that relations with Iraq’s new government were moving toward resolving more outstanding issues, stressing that the region’s support for Baghdad depends on implementing the constitution and safeguarding the rights of the Kurdish people.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the University of Duhok, Barzani noted that several outstanding issues with Baghdad had been resolved, while others still required further work.

He added that the end of the Global Coalition’ military mission against ISIS would not end relations between the KRI and coalition countries, explaining that those ties would instead take different forms.

Barzani thanked Coalition forces for supporting the Peshmerga in the fight against ISIS, emphasizing that the Kurdish force had fought the group in some of the conflict’s most difficult battles. “The presence of the Peshmerga forces represents a source of protection and security for the Kurdistan Region.”

Turning to the formation of a new Regional government and the resumption of the Kurdistan Parliament’s work, Barzani criticized the continued political deadlock nearly two years after the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

He pointed out that parliament had yet to resume its work and a new government had not been formed despite the time that had passed since the elections. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), he added, had called for parliament to convene and the government formation process to begin since the day after the elections.

Barzani affirmed that the regional government remained ready to cooperate with all political parties that won votes and secured representation in parliament to reactivate the legislature and form a new government.

He stressed that the government should reflect the election results, adding that his party was prepared to make concessions in the interests of the people of the Kurdistan Region, as well as stability and reconstruction.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Renewed conflict has repeatedly followed moves by Iran and the United States toward negotiations, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday.

“We have repeatedly demonstrated our good faith regarding our nuclear activities and undergone the most extensive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Pezeshkian told reporters, adding that every time the agency’s inspectors came, Iranian nuclear sites and scientists were identified, then the sites were bombed and the scientists assassinated.

“There is no point in negotiating with an enemy that carries out assassinations, imposes sanctions and exerts pressure every day, and violates its commitments,” he added.

Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Ali Abdollahi stated in a message carried by Iranian media that Tehran is prepared to confront any threat and that another war against Iran would affect all sides.

The Jerusalem Post separately reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt was heading to the Middle East for an extended deployment, while the USS Makin Island amphibious ready group was carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, including about 2,200 Marines and other personnel, along with roughly 2,000 sailors aboard its three ships.

Shafaq News- Diyala

Diyala could face severe flooding during the upcoming rainy season, with Hamrin Lake still about 90% full, a member of the provincial council said on Monday.

Aws Al-Mahdawi told Shafaq News that the lake could reach capacity with the first waves of rain and flooding, limiting its ability to absorb additional water. He warned that rising flows could threaten residents and farmland along the Diyala River and other waterways across the province.

Al-Mahdawi called for part of the lake’s water to be released in a controlled manner to create enough storage capacity for winter inflows, rather than waiting until levels become difficult to manage. He also proposed activating the Saladin spillway near the lake to divert water toward the marshes in Wasit province. Several villages built along the spillway’s route in recent years could face damage if flooding occurs or the spillway is activated.

Earlier today, Anbar’s Agriculture Directorate said in a statement that farmers along the Euphrates River should take precautions against rising water levels caused by water releases from Syria’s Tabqa Dam toward Iraq.

Read more: Rising Euphrates waters revive hopes in central Iraq

Shafaq News- Washington

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the US would honor its bilateral security commitments to Saudi Arabia amid renewed fighting between Yemeni government forces and Iran-aligned Houthis.

“The United States has a defense and security agreement with Saudi Arabia, and we intend to live by it,” Rubio told a press conference in Washington, adding that Saudi Arabia had “a right to defend itself” against continued Houthi attacks.

The fighting has intensified around the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

“What is happening now in Yemen is a counterattack against Houthi aggression,” Rubio said.

Yemeni government forces said they had taken control of the city of Mokha in western Taiz Province and launched attacks on Houthi positions in the Dhubab district overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

A US official told Al Jazeera that Washington was providing Saudi Arabia with support to counter Houthi attacks, including planning assistance, intelligence sharing and aerial refueling.

The official said Saudi Arabia was using US aerial refueling capabilities to defend its airspace and support forces opposing the Houthis.

Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi announced the launch of an operation called “Dawn of Yemen” to restore state institutions, “liberate the capital Sanaa and end the coup of the terrorist Houthi militias.”

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemeni government forces said Monday they had taken control of the city of Mokha in western Taiz Province and launched attacks on Houthi positions in the Dhubab district overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The armed forces also announced that they had carried out 1,122 precision strikes against Houthi targets, claiming that 1,747 members of the group had been “neutralized.”

Earlier in the day, Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi announced the launch of an operation called “Dawn of Yemen” to restore state institutions, “liberate the capital Sanaa and end the coup of the terrorist Houthi militias.” Government forces said they had also begun a “strategic attack” on Sanaa, the Yemeni capital.

The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television channel reported dozens of Saudi airstrikes on Saada Province in northern Yemen.

A military source cited by Saba, the Houthi-controlled news agency in Sanaa, rejected reports of government military advances, saying claims promoted by channels supporting the Saudi-led side were false and had no basis.

The National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, affiliated with the Houthi authorities, accused Saudi-backed forces of “killing prisoners from the armed forces,” and described the alleged acts as a war crime.

Saba also reported Saudi airstrikes on telecommunications infrastructure in the Katuf and Al-Buqaa districts.

The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, cited by Saba, urged civilian airlines to consider Saudi airspace unsafe, except for the airspace over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

A military source also reported that Saudi-backed forces had been expelled from the Al-Maafir and Al-Mawaset districts in Taiz Province.

Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdul Salam accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out dozens of attacks, including strikes on civilian areas and residential neighborhoods in several provinces.

Meanwhile, a US official told Al Jazeera that Washington was providing Saudi Arabia with support to counter Houthi attacks, including planning assistance, intelligence sharing and aerial refueling.

The official said Saudi Arabia was using US aerial refueling capabilities to defend its airspace and support forces opposing the Houthis.

“About 200 US advisers were providing assistance at Saudi planning centers,” the official said, adding that they were helping Saudi forces conduct targeting operations more efficiently and effectively.

The official said US forces were not directly involved in the war in Yemen and had no separate objectives there.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq released more than 435 billion dinars (about $332.1M) in October social assistance to over 2.036 million families, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs said on Monday.

Social Protection Authority chief Ahmed Al-Moussawi said more than 1.476 million male-headed households would receive over 352 billion dinars (around $268.7M), while more than 559,000 female-headed households would receive over 83 billion dinars ($63.4M). The payments cover Baghdad and other federal provinces but exclude Iraq’s Kurdistan Region (KRI).

Iraq’s Social Safety Net reaches more than 7.6 million people, according to the World Food Programme. Iraq’s latest nationwide household survey put the poverty rate at 17.5% in 2024, down from 20.05% in 2018, according to the Ministry of Planning.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Israeli forces shot dead a man after he allegedly tried to enter a military post inside Israel’s “security zone” in southern Quneitra, the Israeli military said on Monday.

Israel’s public broadcaster said troops opened fire after spotting the man approaching the position, killing him. No Israeli soldiers were injured and the military post sustained no damage.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that a Syrian man was killed by Israeli fire after approaching a military position inside the security zone. His identity and the full circumstances of the incident remained unclear.

In a separate incident, Israeli forces opened fire on two people riding a motorcycle as they approached a military post inside its “security zone” in southern Syria, then detained them, the Israeli military said. No Israeli troops were injured.

#عاجل | قبل قليل، رصدت قوات جيش الدفاع مشتبهًا بهما كانا يستقلان دراجة نارية ويتجهان نحو موقع عسكري تابع لجيش الدفاع في منطقة التأمين الدفاعية في جنوب سوريا. وفور رصدهما، باشرت القوات إجراءات توقيف المشتبه بهما، شملت إطلاق النار باتجاههما، وألقت القبض عليهما، دون وقوع إصابات في صفوف قواتنا. ⭕️سيواصل جيش الدفاع العمل في منطقة التأمين الدفاعية في جنوب سوريا، وإزالة كل تهديد يستهدف مواطني دولة إسرائيل وقوات جيش الدفاع.

— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) October 5, 2026

A fire also broke out across agricultural and grazing land near an Israeli military base in Al-Hamidiyah after Israeli forces fired flares over the area on October 4, a Shafaq News correspondent in Quneitra reported. Israeli forces prevented firefighting teams from reaching the area to extinguish the blaze.

The fire followed an Israeli incursion into Al-Asbah village in southern Quneitra countryside on Sunday evening, where troops searched homes and broke down the doors of several houses.

A Shafaq News correspondent in Quneitra also reported that Syrian Arab Red Crescent teams, accompanied by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), received on Monday the body of a young man killed by Israeli fire the previous evening.

SOHR documented seven Israeli incursions over the past 24 hours, along with shelling, searches and restrictions on civilians, rescue teams and journalists.

Israeli troops also resumed work on the Sufa 53* road in southern Quneitra, set up a temporary checkpoint in Umm Al-Azam and fired an artillery shell at farmland between Bariqa and Kudna, according to SOHR. No casualties were reported from the shelling.

Egypt and Turkiye condemned Israel’s continued military activity in southern Syria, particularly the resumption of work on the Sufa 53 line in Quneitra. Cairo said the activity violated Syrian sovereignty and the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, while Ankara said the work undermined the agreement.

https://t.co/tI3Iqo8nUr

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt (@MFAEgOfficial) October 5, 2026

Regarding Israel’s Violations on Syrian Territory https://t.co/IXrCvg34Wn https://t.co/oDiPqw7Zzi

— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) October 5, 2026

On Sunday, Syria’s Foreign Ministry denounced the same activity as a breach of the 1974 agreement and international law, warning that continued Israeli incursions threaten regional security and stability.

Sufa 53 is an Israeli military fortification project along the separation line in Quneitra, featuring a road, trenches, earth berms, observation posts and military positions near the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Read more: Israel's expansion in Syria: A looming threat to Iraq

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s F-16 fighter fleet can now be operated and maintained by Iraqi personnel, the Defense Ministry told Shafaq News, days after the US-led Coalition ended its military mission in the country on Sept. 30.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Yahya Rasool explained that Iraqi crews have handled flight operations, maintenance, fuel provision, and pilot training since 2025, while spare parts and replacement components continue to arrive through the manufacturer and established supply channels.

Iraq acquired 36 F-16IQ Block 52 fighters from the United States, comprising 24 single-seat F-16Cs and 12 twin-seat F-16Ds. Thirty-four remain after two were lost in training accidents in the US, according to defense publication Janes.

The first fighters arrived at Balad Air Base in July 2015, with deliveries completed in May 2019. They are now stationed at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base, formerly Balad Air Base, in Saladin province.

Read more: Iraqi Army after US-led Coalition withdrawal

Iraqi Control, External Supply

Rasool said Iraqi engineers and technicians underwent advanced training in the United States and at home in cooperation with specialized companies, with some now qualified to instruct other personnel.

Maj. Gen. Tahseen Al-Khafaji, deputy head of Iraq’s Security Media Cell, likewise confirmed that local crews fly and service the fighters without foreign personnel directing operations at the base. Routine maintenance is performed domestically, he added, although major overhauls can require manufacturer assistance and imported components.

The main challenge is no longer operating the fighters but securing a steady supply of parts and funding future upgrades, security expert Sarmad Al-Bayati told Shafaq News.

Some components must come from Lockheed Martin or, in some cases, through US bases in Germany, he explained, with existing agreements providing Baghdad access to those supplies. Upgrades, however, could cost millions of dollars depending on the systems involved.

US Support for the Fleet

The expanding Iraqi role has developed alongside US-backed contracts supporting the F-16 program. In June 2025, Vectrus Systems received a contract worth up to $118.02 million for operations, life-support, and security services at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base, with work extending through Nov. 30, 2026.

A further $252.05-million contract followed in November for services related to the Iraqi F-16 program, scheduled through Sept. 24, 2026. Both agreements were funded by Iraq through the US Foreign Military Sales program.

The vulnerability of this support structure emerged in 2020, when US contractors withdrew from Balad Air Base amid attacks and security threats against American personnel and facilities.

Forbes reported that several Iraqi F-16s became inoperable as maintenance and technical assistance declined. Lockheed Martin again relocated its Iraq-based team in 2021 over security concerns, although Iraqi crews continued servicing the fighters and conducting combat missions.

The disruption prompted questions about the fleet’s long-term readiness and speculation that Baghdad might seek alternative fighter aircraft, but the government continued funding the F-16 program.

Long-Term Readiness

Strategic affairs expert Ahmed Al-Sharifi told Shafaq News that Baghdad now needs a clearer long-term strategy for the fighters within its air force and broader defense relationship with Washington. He questioned whether the country could sustain the necessary technical capacity when critical components and specialized services remain tied to US companies and potentially vulnerable to changes in bilateral relations.

Al-Sharifi also argued that the Iraqi Air Force employs the F-16 across a narrower range of missions than the aircraft is capable of performing.

The US-led Coalition’s military mission in Iraq officially concluded on Sept. 30, according to Iraq’s Foreign Ministry, which said security cooperation with partner countries would continue through training, information exchange, and capacity-building.

Read more: Iraq's Sovereignty Days: Coalition mission ends

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar closed Monday’s trading higher in Iraq, hovering around 160,000 dinars per 100 dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollar traded in Baghdad's Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchange markets at 160,300 dinars per 100 dollars, up from the morning session’s 159,050 dinars.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollar at 160,750 dinars and bought it at 159,750 dinars, while in Erbil, selling prices stood at 160,150 dinars and buying prices at 160,100 dinars.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s parliament has postponed until next week a session planned for Thursday to vote on the remaining cabinet posts, as political disagreements persist over nominees for several ministries, an informed source told Shafaq News.

The disputes center on the ministries of Labor and Social Affairs, Youth and Sport, Planning, and Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works, the source said, adding that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is maintaining its nomination of Rebaz Hamlan for the Construction and Housing portfolio and plans to nominate a party member for a fourth deputy prime minister post.

The Coordination Framework (CF), Iraq’s main alliance of Shiite political forces, will meet on Monday to discuss completing the cabinet, while the State Administration Coalition (SAC), which brings together major political forces supporting the government, is scheduled to address the issue on Tuesday, according to the source.

Lawmaker Badr Al-Fahal told Shafaq News that political blocs had submitted nominees for the vacant portfolios, leaving Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi to select candidates and send their names to parliament for a confidence vote. He added that no date had yet been set for the parliamentary session.

Parliament approved Al-Zaidi’s government and 14 ministers on May 14 but postponed votes on nine portfolios. A government source previously told Shafaq News that Al-Zaidi could submit the remaining nominees as a “single package” if political forces failed to agree on the candidates or distribution of ministries.

An informed source told Shafaq News on Saturday that the State of Law Coalition (SLC), led by former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, had formally nominated Yasser Sakhil for interior minister and Haider Baha, dean of the College of Pharmacy at Al-Nahrain University, for higher education minister.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran will immediately target US interests “without limitation” if Washington attacks the country, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi said on Monday.

Quoted by Iranian state media, Abdollahi said Iran would not wait for the outcome of the US congressional elections and will respond to any US action against the country whether it came before or after the vote, and regardless of the result.

US President Donald Trump claimed on Sept. 28 that further US strikes on Iran before the November midterm elections were “possible.” He had also told Axios that he was nearing a decision on whether to resume large-scale attacks against Iran.

Abdollahi further warned Israel that if it launched another war against Iran, “the anger of the Iranian people and Iranian fighters” would dash its hopes and ambitions.

Addressing countries hosting US forces in the region, he described the US military presence as the reason behind regional and economic instability, adding that insecurity would continue as long as that presence remained.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Christian Suyana parliamentary bloc will not give up its claim to the Migration and Displacement Ministry or accept attempts to fold the post into other political arrangements, the bloc’s leader said on Monday.

Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna said at a press conference in parliament, alongside fellow bloc members, that the bloc’s claim to the ministry was based on an agreement reached during a recent meeting with the prime minister in the presence of several advisers. “While there are attempts to undermine this entitlement, our position is clear and firm.”

Suyana is an independent parliamentary bloc formed in late December 2025 to represent Iraq’s Christian community. It includes Oghanna, who represents Erbil and heads the bloc, Sami Oshana Gorgis from Duhok, and Imad Youkhanna Yaqo, representing Christians in Kirkuk.

Since Al-Zaidi’s government won parliamentary confidence in May 2026, votes on nine ministries —including Migration and Displacement, Defense, Interior and Culture— have been postponed amid continuing political disputes over the distribution of cabinet posts among blocs.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Counter-terrorism forces arrested a wanted terrorism suspect following an intelligence-led security operation, the General Directorate of Counter-Terrorism said on Monday.

After the collapse of ISIS, the suspect moved to Al-Sulaymaniyah and settled there but remained active with the group within the province until his arrest, according to the directorate.

The suspect’s father was an ISIS commander who led a military unit in the group’s so-called North Baghdad Province before later becoming its governor of Fallujah. He was killed in an airstrike in Abu Ghraib, while one of the suspect’s brothers was killed by security forces in Al-Nibai.

Last month, the Kurdistan Region’s security agency said that security forces arrested 22 suspected ISIS members in Al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, including an alleged senior religious official.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi authorities on Monday reported prison sentences for three current and former officials and the detention of three government employees in separate corruption-related cases in Baghdad, Al-Anbar and Al-Diwaniyah provinces.

The Al-Anbar Criminal Court sentenced the former manager of the Agricultural Bank in Haditha to three years in prison for “deliberately damaging public funds” after he disbursed money for “fraudulent transactions” in violation of regulations and caused the loss of 86 bank files, according to the Supreme Judicial Council. The ruling was issued under Article 340 of Iraq’s Penal Code.

Separately, the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court sentenced the National Investment Commission’s (NIC) director-general of the Legal Department to one year in prison and fined her 10 million dinars ($7,600) for extorting a company in exchange for renewing an investment project contract, according to the Federal Commission of Integrity (CoI).

The same court sentenced a former acting director-general of the NIC’s One-Stop Shop Department to four years in prison and imposed an identical fine over violations involving an investment opportunity for another project. Both rulings were issued in the defendants’ presence under Decision No. 160 of 1983.

In Al-Diwaniyah, the CoI detained two employees at Al-Diwaniyah’s Education Directorate for allegedly manipulating administrative orders related to the latest round of appointments in exchange for money. Investigators seized 141 Mastercard cards from the two employees, which the commission said had been issued in cooperation with other staff members.

CoI investigators, in another operation, caught an employee at the Al-Diwaniyah provincial government office allegedly receiving a bribe in exchange for mediating the allocation of a residential land plot.

The Al-Diwaniyah investigative judge specializing in integrity cases ordered the three employees detained under Article 308 of the Penal Code and amended Decision No. 160 of 1983.

Neither the Judicial Council nor the CoI disclosed the amount involved in the Al-Anbar case or the alleged payments and bribe in the Al-Diwaniyah cases.

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown moves from raids to rulings

Shafaq News- Sanaa

The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said 100 fighter jets took part in Operation Yemen Dawn on Monday and that 324 “high-value” targets had been destroyed since the operation began.

Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the coalition was providing round-the-clock air support to Yemeni government forces and air protection over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

التحالف: دمرنا 324 هدفًا عالي القيمة مع انطلاق عملية "فجر اليمن".

— المتحدث الرسمي باسم قوات التحالف (@CJFCSpox) October 5, 2026

The operation aims to restore state institutions and retake Sanaa, Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi said.

Meanwhile, Houthi (Ansarallah) military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group carried out two operations against Saudi Aramco facilities in Riyadh and Khurais using ballistic missiles and drones, claiming direct hits and fires at the targeted sites. The attacks were in response to 50 Saudi air and missile strikes over the previous 12 hours on Sanaa, Al-Jawf, Taiz, Amran, Hajjah, and Saada, he added.

The Health Ministry in Sanaa said two civilians were killed and seven wounded in Saudi airstrikes on Sanhan and Sawan in Sanaa province. Houthi-affiliated media also reported that two Saudi airstrikes on Bani Hashish district in the province killed one schoolgirl and wounded two others on Monday.

Shafaq News- Nineveh

Yazidi employees in government offices across Iraq's Nineveh province will get days off for the Jama festival, one of their faith's oldest celebrations, Governor Abdul Qader al-Dakhil said on Monday.

The holiday applies to all Yazidi staff in state departments and institutions in the province. It runs from October 6 to October 13 to allow Yazidis to perform their religious rites and celebrate the festival.

The Jama festival, known in Kurdish as Jamaya Sheikhadi, is held over seven days at the Lalish Temple in neighboring Duhok province, the holiest site of the Yazidi faith. The gathering draws more than 200,000 pilgrims from Iraq and abroad.

Read more: A decade of suffering: Yazidis still seeking justice after ISIS atrocities

Read more: Kurdistan Region rescues nearly 4K Yazidis since ISIS assault

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Airways will resume direct flights to Iran on October 8, with daily services from Najaf International Airport, the company said on Monday.

The new schedule will include daily flights between Najaf and the Iranian cities of Mashhad, Tehran and Isfahan, providing passengers with direct air connections between Iraq and Iran.

Last week, Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said flights between Iran and Iraq through Najaf International Airport would resume on October 4 with both Iranian and Iraqi carriers following decisions by senior officials in the two countries.

Read more: Iranian flights resume at Najaf after weeklong suspension